Container carrier

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a package of a plurality of containers unitized with a flexible carrier. The carrier is constructed from a plastic planar sheet having a plurality of container receiving apertures and a panel or handle positioned with respect to the planar sheet. The panel or handle are die cut to form at least one of a product name, a product property, a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters, symbols and a fanciful design.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/642,853, filed 4 May 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a container carrier for unitizing a desiredquantity of containers.

2. Description of Prior Art

Container carriers connect two or more containers into a sturdy unitizedpackage or “multipack” of containers. Carriers are generally planararrays of rings, sometimes referred to as “six-pack carriers,” typicallyformed from a thermoplastic sheet material. Carriers are applied tocontainers of various sizes and shapes.

Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality ofsimilarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes,although other packages or containers may be unitized. Plastic ringcarriers and box carriers are two such conventional container carriers.

The plastic ring carrier produces a unitized package for containersusing little material. However, when used alone has little or noadvertising or promotional printing space. Conversely, the box carriergenerally has a relatively large amount of area for promotionalgraphics. Disadvantageously, the box carrier requires a relatively largeamount of material, permits bottles to fall out if it is not maintainedin an upright position, and usually shrouds much of the actualcontainers. Therefore, there is a need for a package that incorporatesthe stability and economy of a ring carrier and the promotionalproperties of a box carrier.

This invention relates to a carrier, for unitizing a plurality ofcontainers, having a plurality of container receiving aperturesconfigured with an integral panel and/or handle that is shaped to conveyadditional information regarding the package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A container carrier according to this invention carries a plurality ofcontainers such as cans or bottles. The carrier comprises a planar,preferably plastic, sheet formed with a plurality of container receivingapertures. The container receiving apertures are formed in longitudinalrows and transverse ranks.

A panel is preferably integrally formed with the sheet so that the panelextends outward from a panel edge of the sheet. The panel is preferablyshaped to convey at least one of a product name, a product property, apromotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters,symbols and/or a fanciful design intended to draw attention to theproduct.

Alternatively, or in addition, a separate handle may be likewiseconfigured to convey at least one of a product name, a product property,a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters,symbols and/or a fanciful design intended to draw attention to theproduct.

Still further, the handle may be integrally formed with the panel and belikewise configured to convey at least one of a product name, a productproperty, a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numericcharacters, symbols and/or a fanciful design intended to draw attentionto the product.

The containers are positioned in each container receiving aperture toform a package having a panel and/or a handle that is prominent withrespect to the package and visible to a consumer such that its stylizedform projects the intended image of the product. Such a configuration ofthe panel and/or handle results in a package of containers having aprominent display area or “billboard” for advertising, information,graphics and other marketing material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this inventionwill be better understood from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flexible carrier according to one preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a flexible carrier according to one preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a package according to one preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a package according to one preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a package according to one preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a package according to onepreferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a flexible carrier used in the package shown inFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a package according to onepreferred embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 9 is a top view of a flexible carrier used in the package shown inFIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-9 show carriers 10 and packages 80 according to variouspreferred embodiments of this invention. Containers 20 shown in FIGS.3-5, 6 and 8 are preferably bottles. Although bottles are shown in FIGS.3-5, 6 and 8, cans or any other commonly unitized container 20 may beused with carrier 10 according to this invention. Containers 20 arepreferably like-sized within a single carrier 10 to form package 80.

Carrier 10 unitizes a plurality of containers 20 to create package 80,such as package 80 shown in FIGS. 3-5. Carrier 10 comprises planar sheet15 preferably constructed from a flexible, resilient material such asplastic. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, sheet 15 is madefrom low density polyethylene.

Sheet 15 of material is preferably cut, using means known to thoseskilled in the art, such as a stamping die, to form a plurality ofcontainer receiving apertures 25 in sheet 15. Preferably, six or morecontainer receiving apertures 25 are formed in sheet 15 in longitudinalrows and transverse ranks. Preferably, container receiving apertures 25are configured in two rows of three ranks or in two rows of four ranks.Sheet 15 may include other configurations of container receivingapertures 25 depending on the size of package 80 desired.

In one preferred embodiment of this invention, panel 50 is integrallyformed with sheet 15. Panel 50 preferably has an overall longitudinalpanel length less than an overall length of sheet 15. Panel 50preferably accommodates, on one or both sides, UPC and proof of purchaselabels, graphics, and promotional and/or other information related tocontents and/or ingredients of package 80.

Panel 50 preferably extends outward from a longitudinal edge of sheet15. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, panel 50 is at least partially formed along aportion of each container receiving aperture 25.

Panel 50 is preferably integrally formed with the sheet 15 so that thepanel 50 extends outward from a longitudinal edge of the sheet 15. Panel50 is preferably shaped to convey at least one of a product name, aproduct property, a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename,alpha-numeric characters, symbols and/or a fanciful design intended todraw attention to the product.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,carrier 10 further comprises integral handle 60 positioned between rowsof container receiving apertures 25 or along an opposite longitudinaledge of sheet 15. Handle 60 is particularly important in configurationsof carrier 10 that contain many container receiving apertures 25 tofacilitate ease of handling of package 80.

Alternatively, or in addition, handle 60 may be likewise configured toconvey at least one of a product name, a product property, a promotionalshape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters, symbolsand/or a fanciful design intended to draw attention to the product. Bothhandle 60 and panel 50 may include corresponding die cuts, eitheridentical or complementary including the product name, the productproperty, the promotional shape, the trademark, the tradename, thealpha-numeric characters, symbols and/or the fanciful design.

Still further, handle 60 may be integrally formed with the panel 50 andbe likewise configured to convey at least one of a product name, aproduct property, a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename,alpha-numeric characters, symbols and/or a fanciful design intended todraw attention to the product.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, containers 20 are preferably positioned in eachcontainer receiving aperture 25 to form package 80. Panel 50 ispreferably generally flat and parallel with respect to containers 20 andprominent with respect to package 80. If panel 50 is curled or folded ina perpendicular position with respect to package 80, then advertising orother material positioned on panel will not be legible to a consumer. Inaddition, a panel 50 that protrudes with respect to package 80 willcreate difficulties in packaging, handling and stacking packages 80because of interference between panels 50 of adjacent packages 80 andbetween panel 50 and packaging equipment.

According to one preferred embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 6and 7, panel 50 is similarly formed in a decorative configurationhowever cutouts or similar areas for grasping the panel are notprovided. Instead one or a series of weakened areas 85, such as slitsand/or perforations, are formed with respect to the panel 50 that permita user to insert her hand through the panel 50 and “create” the handleat the point of sale. In this manner, billboard space on the panel 50 ismaximized until purchase. The one or more slits and/or perforations mayprotrude directly through the graphics and/or decorative configurationwithin the panel 50 and are thus best positioned to open only followinga purchase decision by a consumer.

According to one preferred embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 8and 9, a panel 50 is formed relative to a carrier 10 and a group ofcontainers 20 in a package 80 such that a decorative component forms aportion of a removal element 90 such as a perforation or tear strip sothat a user may remove containers 20 from the package 80 generally alongan interface between the panel 50 and at least one row of the containers20. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a tail of a lizard may bepulled along a removal element 90 to release individual containers 20from the package 80. In this manner, the removal element 90 preferablyforms an integral portion of the product name, the product property, thepromotional shape, the trademark, the tradename, the alpha-numericcharacters, the symbols and the fanciful design of the panel 50.

While in the foregoing specification this invention has been describedin relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many detailshave been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additionalembodiments and that certain of the details described herein can bevaried considerably without departing from the basic principles of theinvention.

1. A carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, the carriercomprising: a planar sheet of a plastic material, the sheet having aplurality of container receiving apertures arranged in longitudinal rowsand transverse ranks; a panel integrally formed with the sheet, thepanel extending outward from an edge of the sheet, the panel die cut toform at least one of a product name, a product property, a promotionalshape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters, symbols and afanciful design.
 2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal panellength is less than a longitudinal sheet length.
 3. The carrier of claim1 further comprising an integral handle positioned between longitudinalrows of container receiving apertures.
 4. The carrier of claim 3 whereinthe integral handle is die cut to form a corresponding at least one ofthe product name, the product property, the promotional shape, thetrademark, the tradename, the alpha-numeric characters, symbols and thefanciful design as the panel.
 5. The carrier of claim 1 furthercomprising a handle integrated with the panel.
 6. The carrier of claim 1wherein the die cut comprises an asymmetric shape.
 7. The carrier ofclaim 1 comprising at least two panels, each panel associated with acontainer receiving aperture of the plurality of container receivingapertures.
 8. The carrier of claim 7 wherein two or more die cut panelsare each associated with one rank of two or more transverse ranks ofcontainer receiving apertures.
 9. The carrier of claim 1 wherein thepanel is die cut to form an outline of the container.
 10. The carrier ofclaim 1 further comprising a handle positioned between the panel and thelongitudinal rows of container receiving apertures.
 11. A package of aplurality of containers, the package comprising: a planar sheet of aplastic material, the sheet having a plurality of container receivingapertures arranged in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks; aplurality of containers positioned within a corresponding one of theplurality of container receiving apertures; a panel integrally formedwith the sheet, the panel extending outward from an edge of the sheetand across one or more containers of the plurality of containers, thepanel die cut to form at least one of a product name, a productproperty, a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numericcharacters, symbols and a fanciful design.
 12. The package of claim 11wherein the panel includes one or more weakened areas to provide a handhold when grasped therein while still providing billboard space on thepanel prior to purchase.
 13. The package of claim 11 wherein a two ormore panels are positioned across the package, each panel correspondingwith a rank of the transverse ranks of container receiving apertures.14. The package of claim 11 further comprising a handle.
 15. The packageof claim 14 wherein the handle is die cut to form at least one of aproduct name, a product property, a promotional shape, a trademark, atradename, alpha-numeric characters, symbols and a fanciful design. 16.A carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, the carriercomprising: a planar sheet of a plastic material, the sheet having aplurality of container receiving apertures arranged in longitudinal rowsand transverse ranks; a handle integrally formed with the sheet, thehandle extending from the sheet, the handle die cut to form at least oneof a product name, a product property, a promotional shape, a trademark,a tradename, alpha-numeric characters, symbols and a fanciful design.17. The carrier of claim 16 wherein the handle extends from betweenlongitudinal rows of the container receiving apertures.
 18. The carrierof claim 16 further comprising a panel extending from an edge of thelongitudinal rows of container receiving apertures.
 19. The carrier ofclaim 18 wherein the panel includes a corresponding die cut to that ofthe handle and forms at least one of a product name, a product property,a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters,symbols and a fanciful design.
 20. The carrier of claim 18 wherein thepanel is separable along a removal element to release individualcontainers from the carrier wherein the removal element forms anintegral portion of the product name, the product property, thepromotional shape, the trademark, the tradename, the alpha-numericcharacters, the symbols and the fanciful design.